London based non-binary gay Irish actor & singer/songwriter JD Kelleher has today released their version of the classic Judy Garland song ‘OVER THE RAINBOW’ to mark 30 years since homosexuality was decriminalised in Ireland in June 1994 - https://li.sten.to/jdkrainbow

 

JD has reunited with Spanish musicians, Jimmy Pinol, David Ibarz and Marti Rieira, along with new band member Alex Badia. together they topped the Irish iTunes rock chart during the Marriage Equality referendum in May 2015 with their debut single & video of Joy Division’s Love Will Tear Us Apart - https://youtu.be/5UHbl370K9c. This was followed by Imagery in 2016 https://youtu.be/GJOjJQ0FjkI which also entered the Irish Top 30 songs. Both are from JD’s debut EP The Ugly Tree (2017)

 

Over the Rainbow is the first single to be released from JD’s forthcoming 2024 debut album, Now Is Our Time

 

"All of the originals are co-written by me and my producer / drummer Jimmy. I'm the lyrics guy. Jimmy is the melody guy but we both very involved in the production & sound of the album. It’s good vibes all the way. Singing Judy's iconic classic song is a dream come true and of course, that is exactly what happens Over the Rainbow. It’s the place where dreams come true. Our personal dreams, the dreams of our communities...the dreams of our World.  It is a song about wishes & dreams becoming reality. The video is all about colour, art and imagination. Make a wish and then go check it out on my YouTube! https://youtu.be/W1BkOHCnzBs" – JD

 

‘Over the Rainbow’ was written by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg for the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, starring Judy Garland as Dorothy Gale, winning the Academy Award for Best Original Song and becoming her signature tune.

 

“Like every child who’s seen it, I was enchanted and mesmerised by the film but The Wizard of Oz was also my first experience of theatre when I was taken to the Cork Opera House Panto as a child. It ignited a passion and love in me for the performing arts, singing and music. As an LGBT adult, the song continues to resonate for the queer classic that it is. Over the Rainbow is coming out of the closet to shine beautifully without being condoned for who you are.” – JD

 

JD has performed as an actor in most of Ireland’s theatres. He moved to London in 1992 when he landed a role on the West End stage in Same Old Moon. Since then, he has worked at the Royal National Theatre, The RSC and in many of the regional UK theatres. He has done television in both Ireland and England. Most recently he was in Amy Huberman’s hit Irish comedy Finding Joy. These days, JD also runs one of London’s largest acting agencies, specialising in immigrant talent, International Actors London.

 

“Music is my first love but I love acting too and it turns out I very much enjoy empowering and helping to enable the dreams of other migrant artists by sharing my experience, strength and hope with them through our talent agency.” - JD

 

Make a wish upon a star! Over The Rainbow is now on all platforms - https://li.sten.to/jdkrainbow